f communion with
congenial spirits at New Orleans, and work with his colleagues at the
_Times Democrat_ office. "Ghosts! After getting your letter last night I
dreamed. Do you remember that splendid Creole who used to be your city
editor--John----?--is it not a sin that I have forgotten his name? He
sat in a big chair in the old office, and told me wonderful things,
which I could not recall on waking."

In a letter dated July 7, 1882, Hearn tells Mr. Watkin that he had
entered into an arrangement with Worthington, the publisher, for the
issuing of his translation of Gautier's stories made at Cincinnati. It
was to cost him one hundred and fifty dollars, but there was an
understanding that this money was to be repaid by royalties on the sale
of the book and any extra profits. He announced his intention of going
North in a few months by way of Cincinnati, as he wished to see
Worthington about his new publication. Though he was making, he said,
the respectable wage of thirty dollars a week for five hours' work a
day, he felt enervated by the climate, incapable of any long stretch of
work, and thought change to a northern climate for a bit might stimulate
his intellectual powers. He then touched on the changes that passing
years had wrought in his outlook on life. "Less despondent, but less
hopeful; wiser a little and more silent; less nervous, but less merry;
... not strictly economical, but coming to it steadily." His horizons
were widening, the accomplishment of a fixed purpose in life was really
the only pleasurable experience, and the grasp of a friendly hand the
only real satisfaction of an existence that wisdom declared a delusion
and a snare.

Hearn at times indulged in exaggerated fits of economy, the one thought
that animated him being the idea of freeing himself from the yoke of
dependence on the whims of employers--from the harness of journalism. He
made up his mind to keep house for himself, so hired a room in the
northern end of the French quarter, and purchased a complete set of
cooking utensils and kitchen ware. He succeeded in reducing his expenses
to two dollars a week, and kept them at that (exclusive of rent),
although his salary rose to thirty dollars a week. Having saved a
respectable sum, he formed the fantastical idea of trying to keep a
restaurant, run on the lines of the cheap Spanish and Chinese
restaurants he had been wont to frequent. "Business--ye Antiquities";
hard, practical business! he tol